plenadren

[Sofabound]

Hi is anyone else on plenadren for adrenal insufficiency . I get really tearful a lot and feel really low . It’s my first week taken them and wonder if anyone knows if this goes away after time

[123-go]

Hello, Sofabound. I’m sorry you are experiencing the horrible side effects you mention. I haven’t any knowledge of Plenadren but have looked online at the patient information leaflet that comes with the tablets:

medicines.org.uk/emc/files/...

I would definitely follow the advice given and contact the prescriber or talk to the pharmacist about you are feeling. I hope you feel better soon.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

While we talk about adrenal insufficiency a LOT, few here are solely on hydrocortisone as a replacement therapy for adrenalectomy and total adrenal failure as you are, It is very unusual for us to end up with absolutely no adrenal function and many remain in a low dose of pred - which works in a similar way,

What you are describing is typical of low adrenal function - and it suggests your dose is possibly not enough, But replacement therapy never functions as well as the natural physiological stuff and it is a question you need to refer to your doctor. Do you have a specialist endocrinology nurse? They are often good at helping managing such things.

[Sofabound in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks . I used to be on 35mg per day of hydrocortisone and I have no adrenal function as I got one removed and the other didn’t wake up . So tried tapering down to 30 mg and went into adrenal crisis . So when I got better tried down to 32.5 mg per day but still adrenal crisis again . So now I’m on 20 mg pleadren and 10 mg hydrocortisone

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sofabound]

But plenadren IS hydrocortisone - although it is a modified release that lasts all day.

This may help you understand it a bit better>

ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/...

and it does sound as if you might need a bit more since the amount absorbed is lower than with hydrocortisone so I would suspect you are effectively on less than the 30mg that wasn't enough before. Why do some doctors think doing the same thing wearing a different coat will achieve a different result!!!!!

Do keep an eye out for trouble and I do hope you are OK.

[Sofabound in reply to PMRpro]

thanks for your reply and help . I’ll speak to my doctor on Monday